


Cloaked in Steel

by ChristinaS412



Series: I'll Take Your Love With Me When I Go [3]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arya Stark-centric, F/M, Fluff, Gendry Waters is a Baratheon, Gift Giving, Happy Ending, Lord Gendry Waters, Marriage, Married Arya Stark/Gendry Waters, POV Gendry Waters, Post-Canon, Post-Canon Fix-It, Post-Season/Series Finale, Smitten Gendry Waters, Swords
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:28:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23399953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChristinaS412/pseuds/ChristinaS412
Summary: Gendry isn't sure what to expect when he finds himself at the alter beneath the weeping Weirwood tree in the heart of Winterfell, but seeing Arya in a sweeping grey gown standing beside Jon is the last thing he imagines.___“You cloaked me once already,” She chuckled, capturing his attention once again, “or have you forgotten?”“I haven’t,” Gendry ducked with a knowing smile, shaking his head in disbelief that she would bring that memory up at a time like this.(This was previously published on my Tumblr (greeneyedwildthing) but was republished by popular request)
Relationships: Arya Stark & Gendry Waters, Arya Stark/Gendry Waters
Series: I'll Take Your Love With Me When I Go [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1683232
Comments: 14
Kudos: 119





	Cloaked in Steel

**Author's Note:**

> I reworked a few sentences from the original piece considering that the original was written at 2am and hadn't been beta'd -but I hope you enjoy!

Thumbing the pommel of his sword Gendry found himself fighting the urge to pace when he noticed a flicker of movement from his peripheral. Senses still heightened from the war he spun, and felt his heart stutter to a halt at the sight. The fabric of her dress rippled with each step as Jon led her toward him. Whatever ridiculous notion he had had, that she would wear the acorn dress from their childhood for this occasion vanished without second thought. The cut above her brow only drew him in more, highlighting the fact that she was wearing her hair down for the first time in years as a few stray tendrils blew across her rosy cheeks. 

At a sudden loss for words when she finally came to rest beside him Gendry swallowed thickly, a wave of self-consciousness washing over him when he realized how terribly under-dressed he was. Not wanting to borrow her brother's clothes, and still weary of his father's inheritance, Gendry had washed the blood as best he could from his leather jerkin and fastened the stag broach Davos had given him to his lapel.

“Who comes before the Old Gods this night?“ Ser Davos spoke up beside him, breaking the spell.

“Arya Stark, of the House Stark, comes here to be wed. A woman grown, trueborn and noble. She comes to beg the blessing of the Gods.” Pausing for a moment Jon straightened his shoulders before continuing, “Who comes to claim her?” 

Gendry could see the hurt and uncertainty in his demeanor.  _ This was only a ritual _ , he reminded himself.  _ The vows were only words _ . Northerners were a strange lot though, he knew that better than anyone, having loved one half his life. Yet he found himself questioning the vow all the same.

“Gendry Waters, - _ Baratheon, _ I-I mean,” he corrected himself mentally berating himself, “from House Baratheon… I…” forcing himself to take a deep breath he faced Arya, who was already eyeing him curiously.  _ Seven hell’s the choice of wording was poor _ , it didn’t matter that she was a Lord's daughter. This was Arya they were talking about, not a horse to be sold. Even death himself couldn’t claim her, what hope did Gendry hold against that? Closing his eyes he took another deep breath, opening them to find her gaze locked on him. The dress brought out his favorite thing about her he noted, eyes like steel and a temper to match, as he reached out to brush a piece of hair behind her ear. 

Finding his voice again Gendry faced their companions, “I can not claim her, but I ask for her hand in sight of the Gods, if she’ll have me.” The flicker of a smile played at the corner of her lips as Jon floundered for a response. Taking her response as a good sign, Gendry continued, finding his confidence in her, “Wherever you go, I will follow.”

“Do you, Arya Stark take this man?” Davos interrupted before Gendry began to ramble. Though he seemed mildly amused, if not slightly concerned by the sudden change of script the old knight continued to follow his script.

“I do,” Arya replied, stepping forward as she answered Gendry with a promise of her own. “Whatever you do, I will honor you.”

Closing the distance between them Gendry chewed his lip with worry, unable to hide his honesty as he cast a glance at Davos and Jon, “I don’t have a cloak for you.” While they had planned for the traditional Northern wedding Arya wanted, their sudden change in vows left him feeling as though there was something - _ missing _ . 

“You cloaked me once already,” She chuckled, capturing his attention once again, “or have you forgotten?”

“I haven’t,” Gendry ducked with a knowing smile, shaking his head in disbelief that she would bring that memory up at a time like this, before continuing. “Even so, m’Lady-,” He could almost hear her remind him that she wasn’t a lady in the way she quirked a lone eyebrow in dry amusement when he unsheathed his sword. “-With this sword I bring you under my protection, and the protection of my house, from this day until my last day.”

Carefully Arya weighed the balance of the blade in her palm. Gendry knew it was heavier than Needle, having stolen her sword for reference after the second proposal. He hadn’t actually planned on using it during the ceremony until Jon had explained the process of a northern wedding. And good steel would serve her better than an ornamental cloak. Gendry had to admit it was one of his best pieces as the black blade shone in the moonlight, a mix of dragon glass and steel that contrasted nicely with it’s silver grip. 

Without warning Arya grabbed him, dragging his lips down onto hers with a fierceness that stole his breath for a second time that night.  _ An unusual gift for an unusual Lady _ , he had meant to add but he only pulled her closer giving into his own elation.

If the winter chill had bothered him before, it held nothing to the flame of warmth her smile sent through him now. “I love you,” she whispered between kisses, just loud enough for him to hear above the chorus of cheers that rose up around them, “in this life and the next.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading :) as always thank you to my friends for supporting me (& angela for giving me the idea to republish this on here :)  
> If you enjoyed it please feel free to leave a kudos & comment!


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